The present invention relates generally to detecting valve leakage in a vehicle, and more particularly to systems and methods detecting valve leakage during a full run of a gaseous fuel system of a vehicle.
Automotive technology is rapidly expanding in the area of finding alternatives to using gasoline as the primary source of energy in vehicle propulsion systems. One area of interest in recent years has focused on utilizing gasses as fuel. Gasses such as hydrogen, provide a promising alternative to gasoline because of their abundance in nature. Water, for example, can be chemically broken down to produce both hydrogen and oxygen gasses. Propulsion for a vehicle may be achieved in one of two ways. In one case, the gas may be used as part of a chemical reaction within a cell to produce electrical energy to propel the vehicle. In another case, the gas is combusted by an engine to convert its chemical energy directly into mechanical energy. Such systems typically produce less pollution than petroleum-based vehicles, since the product of hydrogen combustion is water vapor, instead of carbon-based greenhouse gasses.
The transport of hydrogen and other gasses within a vehicle fuel cell presents new challenges to the automotive industry. The gasses are typically transported and used within pressurized gas systems. Any leakage of gas in such systems, therefore, presents a safety hazard to both the passengers of the vehicle, as well as to those nearby. Therefore, recent efforts have been made in the automotive field to improve the safety of pressurized vehicle systems by detecting hazardous conditions, such as gas leakage.